Congratulations to you if you are a newly engaged bride (or groom? I like to think that some grooms are reading this too)! To my local couples, are you ready to start your Calgary wedding planning? Or perhaps you are planning a wedding in the nearby Mountains? Either way, welcome to Part 2 of 10 Things You Need To Know About Planning Your Wedding.

Part 1 of 10 Things You Need to Know About Planning Your Wedding covers the first 5 items. If you have already started your Calgary wedding planning, then maybe you have already experienced some of things I talk about in Part 1. So let’s get started on the other 5 things you should know about when it comes to planning your wedding.

Calgary wedding planning: 5 more things you need know

6. Never underestimate the value of a Thank You card.

Yes. Writing 100+ Thank You cards is time consuming. But even if you think Thank You cards are an old-fashioned concept, they are the one wedding tradition I strongly advise you to keep.

Even if you never, ever write another Thank You card in your life, your wedding should be the time to write Thank You cards. Trust me, people get downright bitter if they don’t receive a token of Thank You — it’s part of etiquette for a reason. Often, your guests are buying a new outfit, traveling and purchasing a gift for you in celebration of your wedding and marriage. You may be spending X amount of dollars on this wedding, but don’t adopt the attitude of “they should be grateful I invited them” and just write the Thank You card! P.S. Thanking guests in your toasts or just telling them at your wedding does not, repeat, does not mean you don’t have to write them a Thank You card.

Photo credit: Storied Ink Studio via Oh So Beautiful Paper

One of my past couples took on their Thank You card writing task by opening a bottle of wine to drink and writing a Thank You note immediately after opening each gift. This made the daunting task more enjoyable and they got the Thank You cards out of the way while still being able to remember who got them what gift.

7. It’s normal to feel like everything is going to be terrible and it will all be your fault

Good grief! What a horrible feeling, right? But listen, nothing will be “terrible” and people are certainly not going to point their fingers and start whispering if anything goes wrong. In addition to helping you with your wedding planning, part of my duties as a wedding planner is to give peace you peace of mind that I will be there to try and fix anything that doesn’t go according to plan. MC forgot his notes and the itinerary? Don’t worry. I printed an extra copy. You didn’t pack enough candles to fill all of your candles holders? I just happen to have spare tealights in my emergency kit. I’m on it.

8. Vendors need to eat too.

Yes, they do. The most common vendors that you need to include a meal for are photographers, the DJ/band and your wedding planner. On your wedding day, many of us vendors have been up since 6am: packing equipment, going over the wedding itinerary one more time, and leaving our homes early to avoid unpredictable traffic jams. We rarely get a chance to grab a quick bite to eat as we are constantly answering questions and making sure everything gets done the right way.

So, please. Give us a chance to have a proper meal during our long work day in giving you the best wedding ever. We would also be ever so grateful if we ate the same meal as the rest of the guests. Why? Not because we are snobs, but because we often look into the quality of food being served. We make note of who we thought had great service, great taste, etc. etc., so that we know who to contact in the wedding industry when couples like you ask us for suggestions.

9. You won’t be able to please everyone, including yourself

Despite your best intentions, someone will disagree with the way you have done something for your wedding. The chic, little black bridesmaid dresses you and your bridesmaids love may be funeral-esque to your Aunt Mildred. Cousin Suzy may not like the plated dinner you have chosen and would have rather had the options of a buffet. And, you may have had to forgo the wedding ceremony entrance you dreamed of because of restrictions from the church.

So what then? At some point, you just have to let things go. Which leads me to my final point…

10. Keep the Big Picture in mind

You’re getting married! To the man/woman of your dreams! And everyone you love is here to celebrate with you. Your guests will not notice that one centrepiece arrangement is a little less full than the others. Or that 4 guests at Table #19 decided not to show up at the last minute, leaving empty seats and unused place settings. You cannot micromanage these tiny details because on the wedding day, the most important thing is that you are celebrating the start of your marriage journey. You don’t like it when your boss micromanages, so don’t do it for your wedding — leave the detail checking to me, the wedding planner. It’s my job.

Photo credit: Destination I Do Magazine via Ellie M. Photography

I hope I have shed some insight into wedding planning and helped you realize that some of these jittery feelings are completely normal. Feeling overwhelmed? Just too busy? If you are looking for help with your Calgary wedding planning (or Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise…) drop me a line at 403.837.9667 or email me to chat.

Related topics: What to do now that you are engaged and The Top 5 Things You Need to Do When Planning Your Wedding.